NASA, SpaceX Delay Dragon ISS Departure by a Day

NASA has slipped the departure of the SpaceX Dragon CRS-2 re-supply capsule from the International Space Station from Monday until Tuesday because of inclement weather in the recovery region in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja, Calif.

The National Weather Service outlook includes rough seas.

Tuesday's splashdown under parachute is scheduled for 12:36 p.m., EDT.

Astronauts Tom Marshburn and Chris Hadfield are scheduled to unberth the unpiloted capsule using Canada's robot arm at 7:06 a.m. Dragon, loaded with nearly 2,700 pounds of scientific research samples and equipment in need of refurbishment, will carry out a braking maneuver that starts the vessel's re-entry at 11:40 a.m. under the revised schedule.

SpaceX launched its second mission under a $1.6 billion, 12 flight NASA Commercial Resupply Services agreement on March 1. The Hawthorne, Calif., based company's flight control team overcame post launch difficulties pressurizing the capsule's thrusters in order to rendezvous with the six person orbiting science lab on March 3, a day late.

SpaceX recovery vessels, stationed off the Baja coast, are to retrieve the capsule and sail to the Port of Los Angeles. The vessel and most of its contents will be transported to a SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Tex. for further processing.